Certain aspects of the abuse potential of drugs can be measured pharmacologically. These include the ability of a drug to act as a reinforcer, or to produce physical dependence, tolerance, and behavioral or somatic toxicity. Management of minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) involves the use of psychomotor stimulants such as amphetamine, cocaine, diethylpropion and the like, which produce little or no physical dependence, but do induce tolerance and intense psychotoxicity. These toxic effects can be quantitated in animal studies, e.g., by allowing monkeys the unlimited opportunity to self-inject drugs for prolonged periods. Under such conditions many monkeys will eventually take lethal doses of amphetamine, cocaine or diethylpropion.
Methods of treatment for reducing the use of psychomotor stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamine, methylphenidate, methamphetamine and the like are well known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,611 describes the use of carbamazepine as a replacement for reducing the use of psychomotor stimulants. U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,600 describes the use of flupenthixol as a replacement for treating drug habit disorders of the kind in question. It is known that the cognition activator compound, 3-phenoxypyridine monosulfate, does not share prominent pharmacological effects in rats with known psychomotor stimulant drugs, Marriott et al., Federation Proceedings, 43:571 (Abstract 1672). From U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,555 it is known that oral doses of 3-phenoxypyridine monosulfate produce only minimal signs of motor stimulation in rats. Other patents describing the use of 3-phenoxypyridine compounds are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,061,756; 4,067,983;.4,128,555; 4,386,094; and 4,434,169.